


A Promise Echoed

by OrganicMetalAlienHybrid



Series: Chaos Magic & Hearts [2]
Category: Marvel (Comics), Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Flashbacks, Fluff, Hurt, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-10-12 02:57:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10480584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrganicMetalAlienHybrid/pseuds/OrganicMetalAlienHybrid
Summary: A continuation of the previous work in the series, Closer to You. Based on rp from a community I used to be a part of. The storyline is my own and will be revealed as I go.





	

The air was cool as Teddy stepped out onto the rooftop, his eyes turned toward the stars. The light from the city drowned most of them out but he could still make out a few. Distant. A part of him wondered if they were  truly  his home.  After the incident with the doppelganger and  nearly  dying, everyone looked at him  differently  . Like he was  simultaneously  breakable but also a threat. They’d seen a dark side of him, a man who killed with no remorse. A monster born of a nightmare. It had  nearly  destroyed them. And it did in some ways. Teddy closed his eyes and breathed in. At least he was gone now.

\------------------------------------------ 

_Teddy locked eyes with the man who wore his face, the hatred beating within him driving him into a frenzy. But before he could even move a hand pushed him back, sending him sprawling to the ground. Billy was floating through the air, his arms stretched above his head as fire, smoke, and lightning swirled around him  .  “If you even think about touching my friends again, I’ll send you to a world of misery the likes of which you can’t even comprehend  .” His tone was even but it boomed across the desert._

_Kate lifted her head, eyeing the thermite arrow Tommy had managed to deliver before he’d been knocked  out. The other Teddy laughed, pushing his heel down on Eli’s arm. The sickening crunch was all Billy needed.  All at once, the sky blackened and all light disappeared from the area except the energies coursing through Billy  . He rushed head first at the man who’d  nearly  killed everyone he loved and grabbed him by the waist. A look of shock plastered itself on the evil Teddy’s mug before they were  suddenly  gone.  In their place was a blinding ball of light, a small sun that caused Kate to dive for cover and protect Tommy with her body  ._

_ Before Teddy knew what he was doing, he was heading towards the light, his bare feet digging into the dirt as he sprinted  . The ball grew bigger as Teddy pushed his way inside, his skin  suddenly  on fire as he reached out for Billy.  He found the limp figure and pulled him away, pulled him from the sphere and to the ground, covering him with his body and using his wings to cover Eli as well  . The silence exploded into a cacophony of screaming before  being cut  off  violently  . And then the light returned to show what had happened in its wake._

\------------------------------------------

Teddy opened his eyes again, training them on the simple silver band on his finger.  Perhaps  one of those stars  truly  was where he’d come from  originally  . But home was not there. Home was lying in a bed in a hospital. Home had  nearly  sacrificed his life to save the world from a corrupted version of a familiar face. Teddy clenched his fist, his fingernails digging into his palm until they drew blood. 

\------------------------------------------

_Billy’s chest was still beneath him as Teddy got up to check on him. His ears were ringing and he couldn’t hear the others talking, shouting, trying to assess the damage. He was too busy anyway. His fingers tore at the cloth as he felt for a heartbeat, anything. Nothing. Eli and Kate pulled him away as Tommy went to work trying to help his brother. Teddy was stunned  , he couldn’t move from the spot even if he tried. Kate was saying something, touching his shoulder. He couldn’t hear her but he knew what she was saying. Teddy looked away from Billy for a moment, trying to make out the words she’d said. “Tommy is taking Billy to get help” was all Teddy caught before he saw the blur of motion signifying they’d left. Teddy tried to follow but found that he couldn’t move, his arms were on fire and his legs were… gone. Everything grew dim again, like the sky was blackening once more but this time it was  just  quiet._

\------------------------------------------

Everyone had tried to calm him down. Apologize to him. Reassure him that it wasn’t his fault. But it was.  When that corrupted version of himself locked him away and kidnapped Kate, it’s because that’s what he would have done  . When that other Teddy coaxed Tommy into that minefield, it’s because that’s what he would have done. Breaking Eli’s arm. Overexerting Billy.  All of  these things were because of him. At least to an extent. That evil Teddy might not have been the same one that they knew, but that didn’t mean he was a different person. The breeze brushed against Teddy’s face, moving a tear he hadn’t noticed he’d shed.  The cool air had become cold now, the New York night finally settling into its proper November temperature  . The cold overwhelmed him for a second before everything  suddenly  changed. He felt a warm presence across his chest, almost solid. It was familiar and comforting, like  being held by …

**“I’ll be with you forever…”**

Billy’s voice. Right next to his ear. He could feel the individual fingers brushing his arm, the heat of his body pressing against him. Teddy reached instinctively, wrapping his arms around the presence as his shoulders heaved. The presence became solid, taking the form of his love. A loose hospital gown flowing around in the breeze as Teddy  quickly  turned to protect him from the wind.

“Billy?” He choked, a sob escaping his throat to form the name. There was a moment before Billy stirred, his eyes  slowly  fluttering open.  Billy’s weak arms squeezed against Teddy with every bit of strength they could muster as Teddy buried his face into Billy’s neck  . He’d spent every possible moment next to his bed, holding his hand and watching for any sign that he would wake up. Teddy  openly  wept. He’d held himself together for so long. He’d been the one to tell the Kaplan’s that there had been an accident. He’d taken the unintentional abuse from his team. But now he could let go. Teddy  gently  picked Billy up into his arms, knowing that Billy wasn’t going to be able to walk on his own.  The team would have questions about how he’d ended up with the reality warper after going to the roof but for now that didn’t matter . All that mattered was that they were together again. And nothing could tear them apart again.


End file.
